WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Spark!

For parts of the developing world, electricity isn’t available. But a new device could solve that problem through the power of music. Sudha Kheterpal created the “Spark.” It’s a musical instrument, similar to a maraca, that can produce electricity simply by shaking it. Twelve minutes of shaking, or jamming out, could produce one hour of electricity.

Kheterpal’s goal is to use the “Spark,” to help power communities like Kenya. Her prototype has already been used by several people in the country, mostly to give them light at night to read, or to walk home after dark. Kheterpal’s device has been successfully funded on Kickstarter; she hopes to have it manufactured in about nine months.

Watch Sudha Kheterpal talk about the “Spark” with Milissa Rehberger on MSNBC.